Copy the link below

Kiri Te Kanawa is the latest veteran star to take a poke at Susan Boyle. When an interviewer dared to compare Kiri’s version of “I Dreamed a Dream” to Susan’s, the New Zealand-born soprano responded, “Let’s get off that subject. Move on. I’m doing something classical, not whiz-bang. Whiz-bang disappears. It goes whiz then bang. You insult me by wanting to bring it into this conversation.”

Here’s Kiri doing her straight opera take on the Les Misérables ballad:

Here’s Susan’s performance on the Britain’s Got Talent finale:

I find Kiri’s rendition too precious and Susan’s too tentative. In my estimation, however, no one will ever match the emotional rawness of Patti LuPone‘s version of the song. (LuPone appeared as Fantine in the original London production of the musical.) Listening to another version is like hearing someone other than Jennifer Holliday belting “And I Am Telling You.” Ms. Patti owns this tune. All those other divas are simply borrowing it for a couple minutes. End of musical theater queen-out.

In other news:

Dermot O’Leary wants to host the U.S. version of X Factor, but he thinks Simon Cowell will hire a Yankee. “I would do anything to get on that show – but I think Simon will go with an American presenter. It’s a bummer.” That is rather disappointing…after all, So You Think You Can Dance has been a massive hit with a British main judge (Nigel Lythgoe) and a British host (Cat Deeley). And O’Leary is simply o’lovely. (The Sun)

Dustin Hoffman is slated to direct Quartet, a British comedy with Maggie Smith and Albert Finney. Surprisingly, it’s the two-time Oscar winner’s first time behind the camera.(BBC NEWS)